bl.necroscope2-第34章

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s　and　hears　too　much　for　his　own　good。〃
　〃Well　we　must　give　him　credit　for　it；〃　Kyle　tried　to　sound　casual　while；　in　his　head；　he　added　urgently：　You　mean　he's　talented？　Telepathy？…〃I　suppose　so；〃　answered　Grieve；　meaning　probably。
　Jesus　Christ！　Is　he　on　to　us？　〃Anyway；　we've　had　tough　customers　before；〃　said　Kyle。　〃And　our　salesmen　are　in　possession　of　the　full　brief。。。〃　How　are　they　armed？
　〃Well；　yes；　they　have　the　standard　kit；〃　said　Grieve。
　〃Still；　it's　a　bit　leery；　I'll　tell　you！　Set　his　dog　on　one　of　our　blokes！　No　harm　done；　though。　As　it　happens　it　was　old　DC…and　you　know　how　wary　he　is！　No　harm　will　e　to　that　one。〃
　Darcy　Clarke？　Thank　God！　Kyle　breathed　more　easily。　Out　loud　he　said；　〃Look；　John；　you'd　better　read　my　file　on　our　silent　partner。　You　know；　from　eight　months　ago？〃　The　first　Keogh　manifestation。　〃Our　blokes　might　well　need　all　the　help　they　can　get。　And　I　really　don't　think　that　in　this　case　standard　kit　is　sufficient。　It's　something　I　should　have　thought　of　before；　except　I　didn't　anticipate　young　YB's　foxiness。〃　9mm　automatics　might　not　stop　him　…or　any　of　the　others　in　that　house。　But　there's　a　description　in　the　Harry　Keogh　file　of　something　that　will　…I　think。　Get　the　squad　armed　with　crossbows！
　〃Just　as　you　say；　Alec；　I'll　look　into　it　at　once；〃　said　Grieve；　no　sign　of　surprise　in　his　voice。　〃And　how　are　things　with　you？〃
　〃Oh；　not　bad。　We're　thinking　of　moving　up　into　the　mountains…tonight；　actually。〃　We're　off　to　Romania　with　Krakovitch。　He's　OK…I　hope！　As　soon　as　I've　got　anything　definite　I'll　get　back　to　you。　Then　maybe　you'll　be　able　to　move　in　on　Bodescu。　But　not　until　we　know　all　there　is　to　know　about　what　we're　up　against。
　〃Lucky　you！〃　said　Grieve。　〃The　mountains；　eh？　Beautiful　at　this　time　of　year。　Ah；　well；　some　of　us　must　work。　Do　drop　me　a　card；　now；　won't　you？　And　do　take　care。〃
　〃Same　goes　for　you；〃　Kyle　spoke　light　and　easy；　but　his　thoughts　were　sharp　with　concern。　For　God's　sake　make　sure　those　lads　down　in　Devon　are　on　the　ball！　If　anything　were　to　happen；　I　…〃…Oh；　we'll　do　our　best　to　keep　out　of　trouble；〃　Grieve　cut　him　off。　It　was　his　way　of　saying；　〃Look；　we　can　only　do　as　much　as　we　can　do。〃
　
　〃OK；　I'll　be　in　touch。〃　Good　luck。　And　then　he　had　broken　the　connection　For　a　long　time　he'd　stood　in　his　room　looking　at　the　telephone　and　chewing　his　lip。　Things　were　warming　up　and　Alec　Kyle　knew　it。　And　when　Quint　came　in　from　the　room　next　door　where　he'd　been　taking　a　nap　。
　one　look　at　his　face　told　Kyle　that　he　was　right。　Quint　looked　rough　round　the　edges；　suddenly　more　than　a　little　haggard。
　He　tapped　his　temple。　〃Things　are　starting　to　jump；〃　he　said。　〃In　here。〃
　Kyle　nodded。　〃I　know；〃　he　answered。　〃I've　a　feeling　they're　starting　to　jump　all　over　the　place。　。
　
　In　his　tiny　room　in　what　had　once　been　Harry　Keogh's　Hartlepool　flat；　whose　window　looked　out　over　a　graveyard；　Harry　Junior　was　falling　asleep。　His　mother；　Brenda　Keogh；　shushed　the　baby　and　lulled　him　with　soft　humming　sounds。　He　was　only　five　weeks　old；　but　he　was　clever。　There　were　lots　of　things　happening　in　the　world；　and　he　wanted　in　on　them。　He　was　going　to　make　very　hard　work　of　growing　up；　because　he　wanted　to　be　there　now。　She　could　feel　it　in　him：　his　mind　was　like　a　sponge；　soaking　up　new　sensations；　new　impressions；　thirsting　to　know；　gazing　out　of　his　father's　eyes　and　striving　to　envelop　the　whole　wide　world。
　Oh；　yes；　this　could　only　be　Harry　Keogh's　baby；　and　Brenda　was　glad　she'd　had　him。　If　only　she　could　still　have　Harry；　too。　But　in　a　way　she　did　have　him；　right　here　in　little　Harry。　In　fact　she　had　him　in　a　bigger　way　than　she　might　ever　have　suspected。
　Just　what　the　baby's　father's　work　had　been　with　British　Intelligence　（she　assumed　it　was　them）　Brenda　didn't　know。　She　only　knew　that　he　had　paid　for　it　with　his　life。　There　had　been　no　recognition　of　his　sacrifice；　not　officially；　anyway。　But　cheques　arrived　every　month　in　plain　envelopes；　with　brief　little　covering　notes　that　specified　the　money　as　〃widow's　benefit〃。　Brenda　never　failed　to　be　surprised：　they　must　have　thought　very　highly　of　Harry。　The　cheques　were　rather　large；　twice　as　much　as　she　could　ever　have　earned　in　any　mundane　sort　of　work。　And　that　was　wonderful；　for　she　could　give　all　of　her　time　to　Harry。
　〃Poor　little　Harry；〃　she　crooned　at　him　in　her　soft　northern　dialect；　an　old；　old　ditty　she'd　learned　from　her　own　mother；　who'd　probably　learned　it　from　hers。　〃Got　no　Mammy；　got　no　Daddy；　born　in　a　coal　hole。〃
　Well；　not　quite　as　bad　as　all　that；　but　bad　enough；　without　Harry。　And　yet…。…occasionally　Brenda　felt　pangs　of　guilt。　It　was　less　than　nine　months　since　she'd　last　seen　him；　and　already　she　was　over　it。　It　all　seemed　so　wrong；　somehow。　Wrong　that　she　no　longer　cried；　wrong　that　she　never　had　cried　a　great　deal；　entirely　wrong　that　he　had　gone　to　join　that　great　majority　who　so　loved　him。　The　dead；　long　fallen　into　decay　and　dissolution。
　Not　necessarily　morally　wrong；　but　wrong　conceptually；　definitely。　She　didn't　feel　that　he　was　dead。　Perhaps　if　she'd　seen　his　body　it　would　be　different。　But　she　was　glad　that　she　hadn't　seen　it。　Dead；　it　wouldn't　have　been　Harry　at　all。
　Enough　of　morbid　thinking！　She　touched　the　baby's　tiny　button　nose　with　the　knuckle　of　her　index　finger。
　〃Bonk！〃　she　said；　but　very；　very　softly。　For　little　Harry　Keogh　was　asleep
　
　Harry　felt　the　infant's　whirlpool　suction　ebb；　felt　the　tiny　mind　relax　its　constraint；　aimed　himself　into　and　through　a　trans…dimensional　〃door〃　and　found　himself　adrift　once　more　in　the　Ultimate　Darkness　of　the　M？bius　continuum。　Pure　mind；　he　floated　in　the　flux　of　the　metaphysical；　free　of　the　distortions　of　mass　and　gravity；　heat　and　cold。　He　revelled　like　a　swimmer　in　that　great　black　ocean　which　stretched　from　never　to　forever　and　nowhere　to　everywhere；　where　he　could　move　into　the　past　no　less　rapidly　than　into　the　future。
　Harry　could　go　any　and　everywhere…and　everywhen　…from　here。　It　was　simply　a　matter　of　knowing　the　right　direction；　of　using　the　right　〃door〃。　He　opened　a　time…door　and　saw　the　blue　light　of　all　Earth's　living　billions　streaming　into　unimagined；　ever…expanding　futures。　No；　not　that　one。　Harry　selected　another　door。　This　time　the　myriad　blue　life…threads　streamed　away　from　him　and　contracted；　narrowing　down　to　a　far…distant；　dazzling；　single　blue　point。　It　was　the　door　to　time　past；　to　the　very　beginning　of　human　life　on　Earth。　And　that　wasn't　what　he　wanted　either。　Actually；　he　had　known　that　neither　of　these　doors　was　the　right　one；　he　was　simply　exercising　his　talents；　his　powers；　that　was　all。
　For　the　fact　was　that　if　he　didn't　have　a　mission。。。　but　he　did　have　one。　It　was　almost　identical　with　the　mission　which　had　cost　him　his　corporeal　life；　and　it　was　still　unfinished。　Harry　put　all　other　thoughts　and　considerations　aside；　used　his　unerring　intuition　to　point　himself　in　the　right　direction；　calling　out　to　that　one　he　knew　he　would　find　there。
　〃Thibor？〃　His　call　raced　out　into　the　black　void。　〃Only　answer　me　and　I'll　find　you；　and　we　can…talk。〃
　A　moment　passed。　A　second　or　a　million　years；　it　was　all　the　same　in　the　M？bius　continuum。　And　it　made　no　difference　at　all　to　the　dead。　Then：
　Ahhhh！　came　back　the　answer。　Is　it　you；　Haarrry？
　The　mental　voice　of　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　was　his　beacon：　he　homed　in　on　it；　came　up　against　a　Mobius　door；　and　passed　through　it。
　It　was　midnight　on　the　cruciform　hills；　and　for　two　hundred　miles　in　every　direction；　most　of　Romania　lay　asleep。　No　requirement　for　Harry　and　his　infant　simulacrum　to　materialise　here；　for　there　was　no　one　to　see　them。　But　knowing　that　he　could　be　seen　there；　if　there　were　eyes　to　see；　gave　Harry　a　feeling　of　corporeality。　Even　as　a　will…o'…the…wisp　he　would　feel　that　he　was　somebody；　not　merely　a　telepathic　voice；　a　ghost。　He　hovered　in　the　glade　of　stirless　trees；　above　the　tumbled　slabs　and　close　to　the　tottering　entrance　of　what　had　been　Thibor　Ferenczy's　tomb；　and　formed　about　his　focus　the　merest　nimbus　of　light。　Then　he　turned　his　mind　outwards；　to　the　night　and　the　darkness。
　If　he　had　had　a　body；　Harry　might　have　shivered　a　little。　He　would　have　felt　a　chill；　but　a　purely　physical　chill　and　not　one　of　the　spirit。　For　the　undead　evil　which　had　been　buried　here　five　hundred　years　ago　was　gone　now；　was　no　longer　undead　but　truly　dead。　Which　fact　begged　the　question：　had　all　of　it　been　removed？　Was　it　dead。。。　entirely？　For　Harry　Keogh　had　learned；　and　was　learning　still；　of　the　vampire's　monstrous　tenacity　as　it　clung　to　life。
　〃Thibor；〃　said　Harry；　〃I'm　here。　Against　the　advice　of　all　the　teeming　dead；　I've　e　again　to　talk　to　you。〃
　Ahhhh！　Haaarrry…you　are　a　fort；　my　friend。　Indeed；　you　are　my　only　fort。　The　dead　whisper　in　their　graves；　talking　of　this　and　that；　but　me　they　shun。　I　alone　am　truly。。。　alone！　Without　you　there　is　only　oblivion。
　Truly　alone？　Harry　doubted　it。　His　sensitive　ESP　warned　him　that　something　else　was　here…something　that　held　back；　biding　its　time…something　dangerous　still。　But　he　hid　his　suspicions　from　Thibor。
　〃I　made　you　a　promise；〃　he　said。　〃You　tell　me　the　things　I　want　to　know；　and　I　in　turn　will　not　forget　you。　Even　if　it's　only　for　a　moment　or　two　I'll　find　time　now　and　then　to　e　and　talk　to　you。〃…Because　you　are　good；　Haaarrry。　Because　you　are　kind。　While　my　own　sort；　the　dead；　they　are　unkind。　They　continue　to　hold　this　grudge！
　Harry　knew　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground's　wiles：　how　he　would　avoid　at　all　cost　the　issue　of　the　moment；　Harry's　principal　purpose　in　being　here。　For　vampires　are　Satan's　own　kith　and　kin；　they　speak　with　his　tongue；　which　speaks　only　lies　and　deceptions。　Thus　Thibor　would　attempt　from　the　outset　to　turn　the　conversation；　this　time　to　his　〃unfair〃　treatment　by　the　Great　Majority。　Harry　would　have　none　of　it。
　〃You　have　no　plaint；〃　he　told　him。　〃They　know　you；　Thibor。　How　many　lives　have　you　cut　short　in　order　to　prolong　or　sustain　your　own？　They　are　unforgiving；　the　dead；　for　they've　lost　that　which　was　most　precious　to　them。　In　your　time　you　were　the　great　stealer　of　life；　not　only　did　you　bring　death　with　you；　but　even　on　occasion　undeath。　You　can't　be　surprised　that　they　shun　you。〃
　Thibor　sighed。　A　soldier　kills；　he　answered。　But　when　he　in　turn　dies；　do　they　turn　away　from　him？　Of　course　not！　He　is　weled　into　the　fold。　The　executioner　kills；　also　the　maniac　in　his　rage；　and　the　cuckold　when　he　discovers　another　in　his　bed。　And　are　they　shunned？　Perhaps　in　life；　some　of　them；　but　not　after　life　is　done。　For　then　they　move　on　into　a　new　state。　In　my　life　I　did　what　I　had　to　do；　and　I　paid　for　it　in　death。　Must　I　go　on　paying？
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　plead　your　case　for　you？〃　Harry　wasn't　even　half…serious。
　But　Thibor　was　quick…witted：　I　had　not　considered　that。　But　now　that　you　mention　it　…〃Ridiculous！〃　Harry　cried。　〃You're　playing　with　words　…playing　with　me…and　that's　not　why　I'm　here。　There　are　a　million　others　who　genuinely　desire　to　talk　to　me；　and　I　waste　my　time　with　you。　Ah；　well；　I've　learned　my　lesson。　I'll　trouble　you　no　more。〃
　Harry；　wait！　Panic　was　in　Thibor　Ferenczy's　voice；　which　came　to　Harry　quite　literally　from　beyond　the　grave。　Don't　go；　Harry！　Who　will　talk　to　me　if。。。　there　is　no　other　necroscope！
　〃That's